A Strange Loop, SpeakEasy Stage Company and Front Porch Arts Collective, Wimberly Theatre in the Stanford Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts, through May 25. 617-933-8600; online at SpeakEasyStage.com or FrontPageArts.org
What is authenticity? What is truth? For Luigi Pirandello, the pursuit of the answers to these questions could involve "Six Characters in Search of an Author." For Michael R. Jackson, the author of the acclaimed 2019 musical "A Strange Loop"—the winner of the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for drama and the 2022 Tony Awards for best musical and book, a queer Black writer tellingly struggles to pinpoint his true identity while struggling to grapple with six 'Thoughts' and self-doubts. By turns touching and humorous, "A Strange Loop" proves a provocative and inspired musical—exhilaratingly staged by Front Porch Arts Collective artistic director Maurice Emmanuel Parent in a riveting co-premiere with SpeakEasy Stage Company at the Calderwood Pavilion.
Jackson's "not formally autobiographical" musical that he began writing as a monologue—as he explains in a 2019 essay entitled "Playwright's Perspective: A Strange Loop"—centers on a determined writer curiously but fittingly named Usher. As an usher for "The Lion King," the queer Black protagonist—who considers writing about what it is like to "travel the world in a fat, Black queer body" in the number "Intermission Song"—intriguingly focuses on writing a musical about a Black queer writer writing a musical about a Black queer writer —hence the title cognitive science cycle.
Will that cycle go up or down as Usher's six Thoughts serve as a kind of modern Greek chorus that both comments on and criticizes his ideas and intentions? These Thoughts often express the intrusive points of view of Usher's parents—an intrusion that connects with playwright Jackson's reference in his essay to a W.E. B. DuBois notion that Blacks are always looking at themselves through the eyes of others. Usher's church-going mother reminds him that he was raised in the fear of the Lord, advises him to read his Bible and strongly urges him to write a Tyler Perry-style show. At one point he even hears of a search for a ghostwriter for Perry with whom he has his issues. His distant and often clueless father asks him if he has HIV yet suggests that he contact celebrated gay Broadway producer Scott Rudin whose number he has found.
Profoundly lonely—in some ways as much of a life spectator as the protagonist of Sondheim's "Company," the 26-turning Usher tries gay online dating apps with generally disappointing results. At the same time, in a perception that may call to mind the authenticity-desiring screenwriter of the fine recent film "American Fiction," he senses that theater producers want writing about slavery, police violence and intersectionality. A blunt sympathizer challenges Usher to write his truth—an effort which he eventually sees as just as integral to finding his genuine identity as to creating a truly personal musical. While Jackson's musical may not solve all of Usher's challenges, the Thought-plagued protagonist is finally very clear about what he wants on stage and in his life.
Director Parent is equally clear about staging Usher's rich personal and professional odyssey. Scenic designer Jon Savage and lighting designer Brian J. Lilienthal establish the significance of Usher's Thoughts by having them appear in two levels of brightly lit panels. Becca Jewett dresses Usher in initial attire as actual usher and simple garb for his many moments of simple challenge. Her efforts become a vivid design for Usher's attempt at a gospel show ironically declaring that AIDS is God's Punishment. Parent's taut direction makes this scene a haunting standout—especially in light of the passing of Usher's fellow gay young friend Darnell (in the back story) who had refused medication. Grant Evan, Davron S. Monroe, Jonathan Melo, Aaron Michael Ray, De'Lon Grant and Zion Middleton capture Usher's parents, church choral members, dates, various conceptions and conflicting feelings with strong singing and remarkably versatile solo and ensemble performance.
Most of all, Kai Clifton is endearingly human and principled as Usher. He has Usher's vulnerability singing about his "In White Girl" and unaffected sincerity opening up to his parents about his identity and professional aspirations. His robust singing makes him as vocally striking in his own way as the music world's famous Usher. Clifton's powerful portrayal signals a talent with a long future. David Freeman Coleman conducts Jackson's own thoughtful score with nuance and great feeling.
Usher's Mom speaks of wanting him to go up not down. "A Strange Loop" is very much the former for both gifted Jackson and this soaring SpeakEasy Company-Front Porch Arts Collective collaboration.